Bottle carrier



Dec. 23, 1952 R. GUYER 2,622,777

vBOTTLE: CARRIER Filed Aug. 5, 1948 2 SHEETS-.SHEET 1 Dec. 23, 1952 GUYE'R 2,622,777

I BOTTLCARRIER Filed Aug. 5, 1948 2 SHEETS--SHEET 2 Patented Dec. 23, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOTTLE CARRIER Reynolds GuyexgvSt. Paul, Minn., assignor to Waldorf Paper Products Company, St. Paul, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Application August 5, 1948, Serial No. 42,659

6 Claims. l

My invention relates to an improvement in carrier for bottles wherein it is desired to provide a simple and effective means of carrying a group of bottles.

.In Va co-pending application Serial No. 42,660, filed August 5, 1948, I have described a bottle carrier having a generally rectangular frame provided with a handle thereupon and a U-shaped paper support suspended from opposite sides of the frame. I have found that in some instances it is desirable that the frame be formed of a single strip of wire or the like. I have also found that in some instances it is desirable to provide a more effective means of limiting the sldable movement of the rectangular wire frame relative to the sides of the tray like carrier. The present application is designed to present a construction having these desirable features.

An object of the present invention lies in the provision of a bottle carrier having a generally rectangularly shaped frame provided with an inverted U-shaped handle connecting opposite ends of the frame and in forming this frame of a single elongated length of wire or the like. In order to accomplish this result I form the inverted U- shaped handle in the center part of the wire and bend the wire to form a half of the rectangular frame which is integral with each end of the handle. By securing the ends of the rectangular frame halves together the frame is completed.

A feature of the present invention lies in the provision of an auxiliary means of limitingthe downward sliding movement of the rectangular frame with respect to the sides of the paper board tray. The paper board tray is in preferred form provided with a bottom panel, outer side wall panels hingedly connected thereto, and inner Aside wall panels hingedly connected to the outer wall panels. Notches are provided at opposite ends of the inner side wall panels and the rectangular frame is provided with rounded or diagonally extending corner portions which extend through these notches. In forming the carriers by means of an automaticbottle lling apparatus, the lower ends of the bottles sometimes strike the ends of the frame and force the frame downwardly, tending to tear or bend the walls ofthe carriers at the lower ends of the notches. In the present construction I provide an auxiliary means of supporting the rectangular Wireframe so asto prevent destruction or distortion of the paper board tray as the bottles are inserted thereinto. Y

A feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a tongue which is cut from the inner wall of the carrier and which'is integrally connected to the inner carrier wall along a line substantially level with the ends of the notches. This tongue is designed to extend on the opposite side of the rectangularv wire frame from the remainder of the inner wall panel so as to form a definite stop limiting downward movement of the rectangular frame.

A further feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a double score line between the inner and outer side walls of the paper board tray. Short tongues are provided on the ends of the blank which are designed to engage in suitable slots in the bottom panel of the carrier to lock the inner andouter side walls in substantially parallel relationship. In folding the carrier the inner side wall is first folded along a fold line which is arranged to place the tongues or projections directly above the slots in the bottom panel. After the side walls have been folded into erect position the board is also folded along the second fold line which is parallel to the rst line, but closer to the fold line connecting the outer side wall to the bottom panel. As a result the effective height of the inner side wall panels is lengthened relative to the outer side wall panels, thereby causing the projections to more effectively'engage into the slots in the bottom panel.

These and other objects and novel features of my invention will be more clearly and fully set y forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of my specification:

Figure l is a perspective View of my carrier showing the construction thereof.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional View through the carrier to show the manner in which the frame is connected to the side walls of the paper board tray.

Figure 3 is a perspective View of the frame removed from the tray.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of the paper board blank from which the tray is formed.

Figure 5 is a perspective View similar to Figure 3 showing a modified form of frame construction.

Figure 6 is a sectional view through the partially folded blank showing the relationship of the side walls of the carton during the first folding operation.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing the relative position of the tray side walls after the second folding operation.

The bottle carrier A includes a handle unit Ill and a paper board tray unit I I connected thereto. As will be later described in detail the tray I I is supported from opposite sides of the frame unit 3 I9 to form a carrier for a series of bottles or the like.

The frame I is constructed as best illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings. The center portion of the elongated wire rod of which the handle is formed is bent to form a hand grip handle portion I2 and a pair of downwardly and outwardly inclined handle arms I3 and I4. At the lower end of the arm I3 the wire is bent laterally to form an end portion I5 which is connected by a diagonally or rounded corner portion I6 to the frame side Il'. The frame side I'I is connected by the rounded or diagonally extending corner portion I9 to the frame end portion 2!) which terminates in an upwardly and inwardly inclined extremity 2l which is parallel to and adjacent the handle arm I4.

The handle arm I 4 is provided with a laterally extending end portion 22 which is aligned with the end portion 26. The end portion 22 is connected by the rounded or diagonally extending corner portion 23 to the frame side 24. This frame side 24 is connected by the rounded or diagonally extending corner portion 25 to a frame end portion 26 which terminates in an upwardly and inwardly inclined extremity 2| which is parallel to and adjacent the handle arm I4.

The handle arm I4 is provided with a laterally extending end portion 22 which is aligned with the end portion 23. The end portion 22 is connected by the rounded or diagonally extending corner portion 23 to the frame side 24. This frame side 24 is connected by the rounded or diagonally extending corner portion 25 to a frame end portion 26 which terminates in an upwardly and inwardly inclined extremity 2l' which is parallel to and adjacent the handle arm I3. The end portions I5 and 26 are aligned and the portion of the frame, including the sides I1 and 24 and the end portions I5, 26, and 2D, 22 are arranged on a substantially common plane and form a generally rectangular frame body. The extremities 2! and 2l are spot welded or otherwise aixed to the inclined arms i4 and I3 to form a frame unit of a single length of material.

The tray unit Il of the structure includes a bottom panel 26 which is connected along generally parallel fold lines 36 and 3l to outer side wall panels 32 and 33. The outer side wall panel 32 is connected along a fold line 34 to a narrow intermediate strip 35 which in turn is connected along the fold line 36 to the outer side wall panel 31. In other words, the panels 32 and 3l are connected by two spaced score lines separated by a narrow intermediate area.

The outer side wall panel 33 is connected along a fold line 39 to a narrow intermediate area 46 which in turn is connected along a generally parallel fold line 4I to an inner side wall panel 42. rlhus the panels 33 and 42 are connected by two spaced score lines 39 and 4I having a narrow intermediate area 4E therebetween.

The fold line 36 is provided with a pair of spaced cut lines 43 and 44 which are U-shaped having a relatively long base and relatively short parallel sides. The elongated base of the cut lines 43 and 44 are spaced inwardly of the bottom panel 29 slightly from the score line 36 to form an open slot adjacent the score line when the side wall panel 32 is erected.

Score line 3l is likewise provided with a pair of spaced U-shaped cut lines 45 and 46 which are elongated and are provided with generally short sides. The cut lines 45 and 46 are but slightly spaced inwardly of the bottom panel 29 from 4 the score line 32 to form narrow elongated slots adjacent the score line 3l when the side wall panel 33 is erected.

The inner side wall panel 3.' is provided with a pair of spaced projections 41 and 49 which are longitudinally aligned with the cut lines 43 and 44 and are designed to extend into the slots in the bottom panel formed thereby when the side wall panels are erected. The projections 4l and 49 are thus designed to form locks to hold the panels 3l and 32 in substantially parallel relationship.

The inner side wall panel 42 is provided with a pair of spaced projections 53 and 5I which are longitudinally aligned with the cut lines 45 and 46 and are designed to extend thereinto when the side wall panel 32 is erected. These projections 56 and 5I form locks to hold the side wall panels 33 and 42 in substantially parallel relation when the tray is setting up.

A pair of notches 52 and 53 are provided at opposite ends of the side wall panel 31 adjoining the score lines 34 and 36 and terminating in rounded shoulders 54 and 55 spaced from these score lines 34 and 36. The side wall panel 42 is similarly provided with a pair of opposed notches 56 and El at opposite ends of the side wall adjoining the fold lines 39 and 4! and terminating in rounded shoulders 59 and 60 substantially spaced from the fold lines. These notches 52, 53, 56, and 5l are designed to permit vertical movement of the frame unit relative to the side walls of the tray and the shoulders 54, 55, 59 and 60 are designed to support the diagonally extending corners of the frame in lowered position of the frame or the tray.

The generally U-shaped cut line 6I has its base substantially aligned with the score line 36 and its sides terminating in reversally turned extremities 62 and 63 aligned with the shoulders 54 and 55 of the notches 52 and 53. The cut line 62 thus defines tongues 64 which assists in supporting the frame unit I0 in a manner which will be described.

The U-shaped cut line 65 is provided in the panel 42. This U-shaped cut line has its base extending substantially along the score line 4I and has its sides terminating in reversely turned end cuts 66 and 61 which are aligned with the shoulders 59 and 60 of the notches 56 and 5l. The cut line 65 thus denes a tongue 69 which will assist in supporting the frame of the carrier.

In assembling the carrier the rectangular portion of the frame unit I0 is rested upon the blank II while this blank is substantially flat so that one side of the frame' substantially overlies the doubly scored portion of the blank. For example the side Il of the frame may be placed to extend substantially over the score lines 34 and 36. The blank is then folded along the outer score line 36 so that the outer wall panel 31 overlies the frame side I'I and so that the projections 41 and 49 extend over the areas of the side wall 32 defined by the cut lines 43 and 44. When in this position the side wall appears substantially as illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings.

The two side wall panels 32 and 3l are next folded in unison about the score line 30 until the side wall panel 31 rests upon the bottom panel 29. During this folding operation the side wall bends along the fold line 34 as well as along the fold line 36, thus shortening the effective length of the outer side wall panel 32 and relatively increasing the length of the outer side wall panel 3l. As a result the projections 4l and 49 project through the slots formed by the cut lines i3 and 44 and act as an effective lock for holding these panels in parallel relation.

The same procedure is then followed to enclose the opposite side 24 of the frame unit I9 between the side wall panels 33 and 52. The panel 42 is rst folded along the outer fold line 4l so that the outer panel 33 is relatively long with respect to the inner panel d2. However, as the two panels are reversely folded the paper board is folded along the inner fold line Il!) as well as the outer fold line 4l, thus shortening the outer panel 33 and relatively lengthening the inner panel 42. This causes the projections 5i) and 5| to extend substantially through the slots formed by the cut lines 45 and d5 and form an effective lock.

As the frame is folded between the side wall panels, the tongue 64 of the panel 31 is extended between the side Il of the frame and the outer surface of the panel 32 so that it is on the opposite side of the frame portion ll from the remainder of the panel 3l. Similarly the tongue 69 is inserted between the side 24 of the frame and the inner surface of the panel 33 so that the tongue 69 is on the opposite side of the wire frame from the remainder of the panel ft2. Thus as the wire frame is lowered from the position shown in full lines in Figure l to the position shown in dotted outline therein, the tongue forms an effective means of holding the frame from lowering beyond a desired limit.

In Figure 5 of the drawings I disclose a modified form of handle unit illustrated in general by the numeral l'. The handle unit lli is similar in general form and construction to the handle unit Il) previously described and differs therefrom mainly in the manner in which the ends of the wire rod are connected to the adjacent portions of the handle unit.

The unit 'lil includes a central hand engagement portion 'll having a pair of downwardly and outwardly diverging handle arms l2 and I3 at opposite ends thereof. The handle arm 'l2 is bent laterally to form an end portion ll which is connected by a rounded or diagonally extending portion 'l5 to a frame side l5. rIhis portion 'i6 is connected by the rounded or diagonal extending corner portion ll to the end portion l@ which terminates in an upwardly and inwardly inclined portion Se. This portion Sil is wound or twisted upon the lower portion of the handle arm 13 to connect these two portions of the unit together.

The lower end of the handle arm i3 is connected to a laterally extending end portion 3l which is aligned with the end portion 79. The end portion Si is connected by the rounded or diagonally extending corner portion 32 with the frame side 83. The side 83 is connected by a rounded or diagonally extending corner portion 84 to the end portion 85 which is aligned with the end portion M. The portion 85 terminates in an upwardly and inwardly inclined extremity et which is wound or twisted about the lower portion of the handle arm l2.

The handle unit l) may be used in place of the handle unit I!) and accomplishes much the same function. The manner in which the handle unit 'l0 may be connected to the tray portion il is obvious from the foregoing description.,

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my bottle carrier and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiments thereof, I desire to haveit understood that 6. obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim: c

1. A bottle carrier including a supporting frame having a carrying handle and a tray shaped receptacle having a bottom panel and side wall panels foldably connected thereto, and side wall lining panels, opposite portions of said frame being enclosed between said side Wall panels and said lining panels, and a tongue connected to certain of said wall panels at the lower extremity of the tongue and extending on the opposite side of the embraced portion of the frame from the remainder of said certain panels to limit foldable slidable movement of said frame relative to said side wall panels.

2. A bottle carrier including a handle unit including a frame having opposite sides thereupon, and a tray shaped receptacle including a bottom panel, outer side wall panels foldably connected to opposite sides thereof, inner side wall panels foldably connected to said outer side wall panels, and means for holding said outer side wall panels substantially parallel to said outer side wall panels and embracing the opposite sides of the frame therebetween, and means for limiting vertical slidable movement of the frame between the outer and inner side wall panels, this means including a tongue connected to one of said side wall panels of each side of said bottom panel along a line spaced from and between the upper and lower edges of said side wall panels, said tongues being cut from the body of the side wall panels to which they are attached and extending on the opposite side of the embraced portion of the frame sides from the remainder of the panels from which the tongues are cut.

3. A bottle carrier including a frame and handle unit having a pair of oppositely disposed generally parallel sides, a carrier suspended from said sides, said carrier including a bottom panel, outer side wall panels foldably connected to opposite sides of said bottom panel, and inner side wall panels foldably connected to the upper ends of said outer side wall panels, each connected inner and outer side wall panel forming a pair of side wall panels, means connecting the side wall panels of each pair in substantially parallel relation with one o-f said sides of the frame therebetween, and means for limiting vertical movement of the frame between the walls of said pairs, the means including a tongue cut from one panel of each pair and connected thereto along a line between the upper and lower edges of said one side wall of each pair, said tongues extending on the opposite side of the frame side enclosed from the remainder of said one panel in each pair.

4. The structure described in claim 3 in which the tongues are provided with reversely turned cut lines at their lower extremity.

5. The structure described in claim 3 and including notches at opposite ends of said one side wall of each pair engageable with said frame to limit vertical movement thereof.

6. A carrier including a frame and handle unit, the frame including a pair of substantially parallel opposed frame sides, a carrier suspended from said sides, the carrier including a bottom panel, an outer side wall panel connected to each side of said bottom panel, and an inner side wall panel foldably connected to each outer side wall panel, a pair of spaced score lines connecting the inner and outer wall panels, and projecting 7 tongues on the inner side Wall panels, said carrier having slots therein adjacent the fold lines between said bottom panel and said outer side Wall panels.

REYNOLDS GUYER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Hackett Apr. 4, 1922 Number Number 

